A retired Colonel, Rabiu Garba Yandoto, who was abducted by bandits along Gusau-Tsafe road and released last Tuesday after payment of N10 million ransom said his abduction was a blessing to Nigeria.

Addressing journalists in Gusau on Wednesday, Yandoto said his abduction was going to be a blessing to the country in general and Zamfara state in particular going by his encounter with some bandit leaders declared wanted by the military.

“I am telling you, my abduction would be a blessing to Zamfara state and the country in general. All those wanted bandits especially the ones that are listed by the Chief of Defence staff had a meeting with me in the forest where I was held captive.

“We discussed so many issues which I will not disclose for now due to some reasons. They have not tortured me as well as my two children and they treated us very well.

”They gave me the opportunity to talk as they understood my position as a retired military officer. I think the reason why they didn’t take drastic action against me was that they have some messages which they want me to pass to the appropriate authorities.

“Some are top secret, some are officials while some are ordinary messages. If both the Federal and Zamfara state government can implement what the bandit leaders are looking for, the end of banditry will be over,” he said.(The PUNCH)